


Home (It's Where You Are, Kid)

by garbagesinboy



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Age Difference, But not an actual graphic sex scene cuz I'm Lazy, Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, One Shot, Romance, Self-Indulgent, Theyre just really cute and fluffy this was so self indulgent yall, Tony Stark Has A Heart, inappropriate relationship, sex mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-05-03 15:53:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14572422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/garbagesinboy/pseuds/garbagesinboy
Summary: Tony finds himself constantly toting his protege/intern/assistant around the world these days. What had started as innocent vacations, has become Tony’s favorite hobby, and a bit of an obsession if he’s being honest. Watching starry-eyed Peter explore new cities is a kind of joy Tony isn’t sure he could give up. Maybe he’s addicted to travel, maybe he’s addicted to the kid himself---Just some kind of fluff to heal my soul after the clusterfuck that was IW.





	Home (It's Where You Are, Kid)

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently last night I stayed up and wrote a fic, and then posted it to tumblr at 1am and I have no memory of doing that but I like how it came out lol. Just very short fluff! I think my brain knew I needed something gentle atm, so this is just really self-indulgent, Tony gushing about how cute Peter is and how the kid lights up his life and all that. I'm Big Gay for that shit yall
> 
> Tony and Peter do have sex in this eventually, but it's only mentioned (not described really), and Peter is of consenting age by then. (personally, i don't really care either way in fanfic, but i figured i ought to clarify/warn yall!)

The first trip is innocuous really. Tony really was just hoping to spend a little more time with his protege, maybe let the kid see a bit more of the world. He recalls that Peter hadn’t even owned a passport before Germany, and had said once before that he doesn’t leave Queens often. After what went down with the Vulture, something Tony will  _ always _ blame himself for, the man felt like he owed it to Peter to make more of an effort; to call more often, make time for him once in a while. He wants to be the good influence the kid thinks he is, the mentor he so desperately needs.

So he calls him on a Thursday night and tells him to pack for the weekend. Not a ton of warning, sure, but the kid’s 16, he figures he can't be  _ that _ busy (he wasn’t and he’s  _ thrilled _ to go anywhere with Mr. Stark). Puts together a thin excuse for May’s sake along the lines of ’ _ internship _ ’ and ’ _ tech business abroad _ ’ and it isn’t technically a lie but really, Tony just feels like a vacation and thinks the kid’s earned a little sightseeing. She’s happy for Peter to have the opportunity, because she’s a good guardian and wants the best for him. And so a last minute trip to Spain is arranged.

He picks Peter up from school the next day in a sleek, orange bright sports car. All the wandering teens gawk, and he’s sure Peter will be the talk of the school for a bit (maybe he finds that amusing,  _ maybe _ he did it on purpose. That's no ones business). The kid is flustered of course, so thats fun.

Peter had talked through the whole flight, asked about the plane and where they were going and what internship things they were gonna be doing, wait was it an  _ actual _ internship or the kind of internship where he fights a bunch of super-humans in spandex again??? And so on. Tony is surprised to find he genuinely doesn’t mind the questions, even finds it a little endearing if he’s being honest. He lets Peter’s enthusiasm carry them through the flight, and it’s entirely more pleasant than it should be. Taking a Quinjet hadn’t been exactly  _ necessary _ , but it was certainly faster. They touch down at Barcelona in a little over 5 hours.

_ Excited Peter _ hadn’t been able to stop talking or bouncing for the whole trip here, but  _ Awe-Struck Peter _ , wandering the historically majestic city at Tony’s side, can’t seem to find very many words at all. He’s starry-eyed, in a way Tony didn’t think people ever really could be, and if he thought the chatter on the plane had been endearing, this is  _ disgustingly _ heart-warming. Peter has the kind of wonder in his eyes that should really only happen in movies, and he’s staring down beautiful architecture and fountains, but Tony’s just staring at him.

Tony hadn’t intended to spend all of Friday evening sightseeing, but that's exactly what they do. They get street food for dinner and watch Spanish television in Tony’s hotel room until Peter is too tired to stay up any longer, and retires to his room next door. They attend a Saturday morning brunch with the CEOs of an up-and-coming Spanish tech company, because Tony has to at least try to keep up the pretense of getting work done. Poor Peter had to put on a suit and shake hands with a bunch of rich assholes, and the kid looked less nervous before the fight with Cap. But the brunch goes over swimmingly, Peter eventually winning them over with his natural unintentional charm and impressive technology knowledge, and Tony with the simple fact that he’s  _ Tony Fucking Stark _ . Stark Industries plans to buy their company as a subsidiary, and they’re done with business for the weekend.

The rest of the trip is lovely, exactly the kind of reprieve Tony hadn’t realized he needed so  _ desperately _ . Peter’s unbridled enthusiasm is apparently contagious, because Tony hasn’t felt this light in  _ years _ . The kid takes him by the hand, and drags him all around the city, trying to take in as much of it as he possibly can. Tony buys him a dozen souvenirs without even thinking about it, just wanting to give Peter as much of this as he can.

The trip is over much, much too soon for Tony’s taste. Peter sleeps the whole ride back, having worn himself out with excitement. Tony watches him doze off, the Sunday afternoon light painting a golden halo around him. Tony decides they ought to do this again sometime.

Happy drives him to drop off Peter at home that night, and Tony gives him another ’ _ not hug _ ’ before he goes. He feels just a small twinge in his chest as he waits and watches the kid head inside. He tries not to think about it.

-

The next trip comes over a month later, on a three day weekend that's just too perfect to pass up. They’re headed for tech conference in Tokyo that promises to be interesting as all get out. May sees them off at the door, and thanks him sincerely for taking Peter along. He tells her it’s no trouble, and doesn’t tell her that he  _ only _ decided to go to the conference at all as an excuse to take the kid out again.

This flights longer, and they both thankfully sleep through most of it, so by the time they get there Peter is energized and ready to take on the city. Tony again finds himself charmed and pleased by Peter’s unrestrained joy. He’s been to Tokyo plenty of times, but its never felt quite so  _ new _ as it does when he gets to see it through Peter’s eyes. Peter records most of this trip on his phone (’ _ I just wanna show Ned everything, Mr. Stark. He’ll think this is so freakin cool! _ ’), and Tony finds himself accidentally caught smiling on camera more often than not.

They do the conference, which turns out to be actually pretty intriguing, and then they do 1000 other things. Tony does his best to squeeze in every possible  _ fun-but-age-appropriate _ thing he knows of here, and Peter is positively thrilled by every single thing Tony shares with him. He takes him shopping on the last day of the trip, and it's only Peter’s flustered insistence that ’ _ No, no Mr. Stark I really can’t take all of this home with me _ ’ that prevents him from buying out entire stores. He does manage to update Peter’s wardrobe quite a bit, so there's that.

The plane ride home, Peter is too excited still to sleep very much. Instead they talk, about school and his goals and what Mr. Stark does when he’s not hanging out with super-teens. Tony never really noticed just how funny Peter could be, how witty he was or how easily he’d return a good-natured jab. It’s been a long time since talking to someone was so  _ easy _ .

Eventually exhaustion wins out for Peter, and the kid sleeps the last couple hours of the flight away. As Tony starts to drift off himself, he’s already considering where their next destination should be.

-

The third trip is to London, 3 weeks later. The fourth is to Los Angeles, a month after that. Then Rome, then Korea. It’s in Paris, watching Peter watch the lights of the city, that he realizes he might be addicted to this. Its in India, taking the enthusiastic teen to see the Taj Mahal, that Tony realizes he might just be addicted to  _ Peter _ .

The way the kid lights up burns something in Tony in a way nothing else can. Peter throws himself fully into the adventure of wherever they are, whatever they’re doing, with a kind of passion that makes Tony’s heart squeeze. He feels younger, brighter, every moment they spend together.

He knows it’s not right, but he knows he loves Peter so so much. It’s the times when they’re back home, Peter at school all day and Tony busy being Tony Stark and Iron Man, that he worries and frets for it. Over being  _ lonely _ when the kid’s not around, over how this isn’t as innocent as it should be anymore, over how he must be robbing Peter of something. But then the next trip comes and he forgets, watches Peter thrill and glow as he takes in the world and Tony  _ forgets _ .

It’s not an outward problem, not really. Peter is on the official roster as a Stark Industries intern, and Tony’s ’ _ lab assistant in training _ ’. They’re supposed to spend time together. And for christ’s sake, he’s  _ Iron Man _ ; absolutely no one would suspect him of… well, that. May has come to love him honestly, for all the wonder and joy he brings to her kid’s life ( _ and Tony might feel guiltiest for that, if he thinks about it too hard _ ). It’s true that he’s given Peter more worldly experience than most other kids his age ever get, everyone finds it quite admirable that he’s taken a poor kid from Queens under his wing. So appearances aren’t an issue here. But as Tony gently tucks a lock of hair behind Peter’s ear as the young man sleeps in a plush hotel bed in Hawaii, he knows he should feel ashamed for this.

Peter’s 17, its early October and they’re in Dublin this time. They’ve visited once before but the kid is thrilled to be back anyway, it's a lovely city after all. They’re strolling through the old winding streets in the quiet evening, and Tony jokes that they’re running out of cities now, after more than a year traveling together. He asks Peter if there's any places he’s hoping to see, just making casual conversation. Their shoulders and hands brush every few steps as they walk, they’re pressed awfully close together against the crisp autumn night air. Peter chuckles a bit, and it warms Tony inside.

“I don’t really have anywhere in mind, Sir” He says, he still calls him ‘Sir’ and 'Mr. Stark’ and Tony hates that it does something for him. The kid flushes a bit, and can’t really meet Tony’s eyes as he continues. “I’m… I’m happy wherever we are. I just love spending time with  _ you _ .”

Peter, oh Peter. Honest, earnest,  _ sweet _ Peter. Peter, who wears his heart on his sleeve, and meets Tony’s gaze a little embarrassed but  _ entirely sure _ . Tony of course understands the implication in the kid’s words, and knows now that this isn’t one-sided,  _ whatever _ it is. But that doesn’t make it much easier for them, Peter is still just 17 and Tony is still entirely 40 year old Tony Stark.

They dance around each other after that, still globe-trekking at least once or twice a month, but also trekking some very dangerous interpersonal territory. Peter is hopeful, so so hopeful, and so clearly wants this. Tony’s just trying not to ruin him.

He muses on a plane ride home from Switzerland, that if he hadn’t been constantly taking Peter off to foreign countries, maybe the kid would have a  _ normal _ social life. Maybe he’d have gotten a boyfriend his own age or something. Part of Tony knows that would have been healthier for the kid in the long run, but its a small part compared to the  _ visceral burning jealousy _ he feels at the thought.

Peter, to his credit, tries to push but doesn’t force. The kid’s always been smart, theres no way he doesn’t understand the  _ wrongness _ of this situation. But as Peter shyly slides his hand into Tony’s and interlocks their fingers one warm night in Italy as they walk back to the hotel, Tony wonders if its really that bad.

The first time Peter boldly tries to seduce him, they’re in London for the third time, visiting for the Stark UK Expo and celebrating Peter’s birthday that passed last week. The kid is newly 18 and disastrously drunk, legally old enough for liquor here (which may have been part of why he’d requested Britain as his birthday trip). Tony’s dragged him back to their hotel, and up to his room, and Peter is so desperately trying to get into his pants. Tony mostly just finds it funny, because he isn’t even  _ remotely _ tempted to try anything with the poor kid this messed up. He gently turns him down and Peter pouts like his night is ruined, so he concedes to let the young man sleep in his bed, fully clothed and under a separate blanket. Peter wakes in the morning only mildly hungover (blessed healing factor), but painfully embarrassed.

Its another 2 months after that, in a too hot hotel suite in Venice and fully sober, that Peter is bold enough to try again. Tony… well he doesn’t make much of an attempt to resist this time. Giving in feels…  _ right _ . It feels like letting himself be truly happy, something he really only gets with Peter. They lay there, tangled in sheets and entirely too content. Tony wonders if he could ever truly deserve this, carding his fingers through Peter’s soft brown hair. The young man lets out a relaxed, sleepy sigh against his chest, and he decides that for now it doesn’t matter.

They keep things private, because this is theirs; foreign cities and lovely hotel rooms and nights just for the two of them that no ever questions. Eventually, Peter moves into the tower, writing it off as “ _ Being Mr. Stark’s assistant is really a full time job, May _ ”. It makes sense, and its terribly domestic for all the time they don’t spend there. Traveling is and probably always will be their favorite shared activity. New York is where they live, sure, but where ever they are, wandering a strange city with their fingers intertwined, just the presence of each other really, now that’s  _ home _ .

**Author's Note:**

> thats it folks!! thanks for reading :V I'm still working on CMM so DONT WORRY, I'll have another chapter out for that soon. This was just kind of a short mental reprieve for me, and practicing writing without much dialogue I guess? I highly doubt I'll have anything to add to this (tho I am SORELY TEMPTED to write the sex scene for this, because it would be so so tender and sweet. fuck im gay). hope yall enjoyed, leave a comment if you did! xoxo ciao


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